Jordan Rejoins Dolphins After Suspension

The Miami Dolphins got a bit of good news this week when Dion Jordan returned to the team after being suspended for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. The second-year player and defensive end told the media on Tuesday he wants to put his troubles behind him and concentrate on helping his team win football games.

“It feels really good to be back and to get back into the swing of things and be around my teammates and just get back to my normal routine, what I’m used to,” Jordan said. “It’s tough when you’ve got to take time off from your job that you enjoy. It’s rough. It was something I had to do. I took care of my business. I feel blessed and happy to be back and have the opportunity to contribute and be around my guys again.”

Jordan, the Dolphins’ first-round pick in the 2013 NFL draft, finished serving his league suspension after Miami’s 27-14 victory at Soldier Field on Sunday.

With Dolphins players off Monday, this was Jordan’s first practice since the last week of the preseason.

Tuesday was the first time that Jordan had practiced with the team since the last preseason game this season.

Tannehill the Runner (From the Dolphins website)

Ryan Tannehill earned rave reviews for his tremendous passing performance against the Chicago Bears during the Dolphins’ 27-14 victory Sunday at Soldier Field, and deservedly so.

But for the second consecutive week, Tannehill also produced a big play with his running ability, converting a fourth-and-1 situation in the third quarter with a 30-yard run.

To show how impressive — and rare — coming up with that kind of big play in that kind of situation can be, consider the following:

• It was the second-longest gain by a Dolphins player in a fourth-and-1 or fourth-and-2 situation since 1991, trailing only a 39-yard run by Larry Izzo off a fake punt against Green Bay in 2000.

• It was far and away the longest run by a Dolphins quarterback on a fourth-and-1 or fourth-and-2, topping the previous record of 3 yards — yes, 3 — shared by Jay Fiedler in 2003 and Joey Harrington in 2006.

• The previous longest run by a Dolphins quarterback in any fourth-down situation was a 17-yard gain by Bernie Kosar — never known as a nifty runner — on a fourth-and-10 in the fourth quarter of a 42-31 loss against Buffalo in 1994.

Landry moves up depth chart (from the Dolphins website)

Rookie Jarvis Landry has started the last two games at wide receiver, and now the second-round pick from LSU is officially listed as a starter on the depth chart.

Landry led the Dolphins with six receptions for 75 yards in his first NFL start against the Green Bay Packers in Week 6 and followed that by catching four passes for 46 yards in the 27-14 victory against the Chicago Bears on Sunday.

The Dolphins depth chart lists three wide receivers on the first-team offense, and Landry has replaced Brandon Gibson alongside Mike Wallace and Brian Hartline.

Head Coach Joe Philbin, who has said many times he has been impressed with Landry’s play speed, said the move was not a reflection on Gibson.

“I like Brandon,” Philbin said. “If I’m not mistaken, before he was injured a year ago, on third down he was one of the best receivers in the National Football League. His conversion rate was outstanding. He’s a smart football player. He’s got good hands. It’s not really necessarily an indictment of Brandon, and Brandon I know is going to contribute here this season. I’m confident he will.”